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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nBuying antique is way different than buying your usual\nsecond-hand furniture because you\u2019re looking for furniture that is specific to\nan era. The furniture only qualifies as vintage when it\u2019s 30-40 years old. Anything\nabove 100 years qualifies as antique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are 6 tips for\nbuying antique furniture:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Look closely to see\nhow the piece was made<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n If say the piece of furniture you\u2019re going for has drawers,\nthen you need to pull them out and check for dovetails, and on the inside of\nthe drawer front where it meets with the sides, there should be larger cut\nmarks. Those are kerfmarks, these indicate where the cabinet maker was cutting\nout the dovetails in the drawer face to be attached with the drawer sides. It\u2019s\nsort of the leftover marks that the saw created. You want to see those. They\nare tell-tale signs of hand craftsmanship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The earlier the piece\u2014and the further away from a city\ncenter it was produced\u2014the larger the dovetails will be. During the 17th and\n18th centuries, from about the William and Mary to Queen Anne furniture\nperiods, they were sort of slapping things together, and they didn\u2019t have time\nto make small dovetails. Away from the city centers, you got craftspeople who\nweren\u2019t trained in the typical fashion of coming up through a heavy\napprenticeship in a cabinet maker’s workshop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The top early cabinet makers, by contrast, would show off\ntheir skill by making the necks of the dovetail much thinner. Later in periods,\nyou\u2019ll find dovetails become more refined and then, eventually, you see them\ngetting phased out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you don\u2019t see dovetails, then the piece is probably held\ntogether with nails and glue, which is a sign the piece was made in a factory\ncloser to the 20th century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check out the\nhardware<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n You cannot miss out on the hardware while checking for\ndovetails. When you pull a drawer out and look at the back of the handle, you\nshould expect to see a threaded post and a nut securing that brass to the\ndrawer front. If you don\u2019t see that nut and just see what looks to be the top\nof a slotted or flathead screw going towards the face of the drawer, then that\nis an indication that the hardware is newer. It\u2019s also a good indication that\nthe piece is not as old as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Search Your Dresser<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The tell-tale of antique furniture is a mark, signature or\nstamp. Usually, the early craftsmen placed these marks on the bottom, the back\nor inside a drawer. Of course, the location and style of the mark vary\ndepending on whether your antique furniture piece was designed and built by an\nindependent craftsman or someone who worked for a furniture company. You need\nto be searching for either a handmade ink signature, a carved or engraved mark\nor a custom manufacturing stamp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gather Documentation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Now you may need to play Sherlock, but with thorough\ndetective work concerning the mark, signature or stamp on your antique\nfurniture will require a physical examination of the mark along with proper\nresearch and perhaps also the opinion of an appraiser or antique dealer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You need to collect information regarding the signature that\nwould be helpful to an expert. Click some clear digital photos of your dresser\nand the signature. Try narrowing it down to a date of when you believe the\npiece may have been crafted, makes notes about the mark, especially if it’s not\nclear or legible. For example, is it stamped in ink, a paper label, a metal\nplate or a carving?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Consult Ethical\nResources<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There are some legit websites such as Antique Marks and\nKovels that you can use to identify marks or signatures you found on your\nantique furniture. You can also refer to books such as “A Dictionary of\nMarks: Metalwork, Furniture, Ceramics: The Identification Handbook for Antique\nCollectors” by Margaret Macdonald-Taylor that might help you find out more\nabout the signature on your piece<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, websites such as Collector’s Weekly and Your Antique\nFurniture Guide offer helpful periodic updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Consider an Expert<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you wish to be sure about your furniture get it\nofficially appraised by an appraiser. He can examine the signature and hand you\na written current value for your antique furniture, which is also helpful for\ninsurance purposes. If you do decide to consult an appraiser, you can usually\nfind an expert by calling or visiting local antique shops for referrals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We hope these tips will help you buy antique furniture. If you\u2019re in the market for some amazing fusion yet classy furniture head over to our gallery at Velha Goa<\/a> to discover some of the most unique products and d\u00e9cor for your lovely homes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Antique furniture is a good way to get good-quality furniture for less. It adds a touch of personality to your house while being cool and classy. Even if the piece was mass-produced at a time, by the time it\u2019s antique it becomes rare. And the biggest plus point is it\u2019s environmentally friendly. Buying antique is…<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/velhagoa.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/antique12.jpg\")
https:\/\/woodgears.ca\/desk\/antique.html<\/a> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/velhagoa.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/196135-425x283-stickley-furniture-label.jpg\")
https:\/\/antiques.lovetoknow.com\/about-antiques\/identifying-furniture-marks<\/a> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n